So this past weekend, I finally checked out the new “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (2025). As a continuation of the original films, I was here for it. The nostalgia factor was huge for me, pulling me right back into that familiar slasher world. But let’s break down why this return to the iconic slicker man ultimately left me wanting more.

The setup is classic, just what you’d expect: five friends inadvertently cause a death, and now, the mysterious slicker man is back to terrorize them. It’s a premise that promises those signature slasher thrills and a good dose of suspense. For the first two-thirds of the film, it delivers some decent jumps and thrills, and honestly, that’s where most of its 2 out of 5 stars come from – purely for the nostalgic rush and those brief moments of effective horror.

However, the new cast, including names like Madeline Cline and Lola Tung, just didn’t quite land for me. I hate to say it, but their performances felt pretty mediocre across the board. Nobody really stood out, and this sentiment seems to be echoed in a lot of online reviews I’ve seen. It’s a critical point because a slasher film thrives on you caring about who lives and who dies.

Speaking of familiar faces, Jennifer Love Hewitt is back, and she is absolutely phenomenal. She’s a true highlight and a welcome anchor for fans of the original. Freddy Prinze Jr. also makes his return, and in my mind, he plays the same role he always has – consistent, if not groundbreaking.

But here’s the real kicker, the major flaw that truly pulled me out of the experience: I wasn’t connected to a single one of these new characters. Not one. In the original film, you were invested in those characters; they felt real to you, even with a cheesy plot. You rooted for them, you felt their fear. Here, that vital connection is completely missing. It’s hard to care about the stakes when you’re not invested in the people facing the terror.

So, while the initial rush of nostalgia and a few well-placed scares carried the first part of the movie, the lack of compelling new characters and a general sense of detachment ultimately made this continuation a bit of a letdown. It’s a watchable entry if you’re just looking for a trip down memory lane, but don’t expect the same emotional investment or character depth that made the original so memorable.